A Brother's Quest
by Alleluia00
Summary: It's been four months since Nathaniel and Bartimaues defeated Nouda, and in that time, most have accepted that they're dead. But a seventeen-year-old magician who's known to the world as Jason Todd refuses to accept it. If that has your attention then R&R
1. That Aweful Night

**I am not Jonathan Stroud, if I were I would have ended the series much differently, and I do not own his characters, you all know who they are. **

**It's been four months since Nathaniel and Bartimaues defeated Nouda, and in that time, most have accepted that they're dead. But a seventeen-year-old magician who's known to the world as Jason Todd refuses to accept it. He's willing to place his career and maybe even his life and his sanity on the line all just to find Nathaniel. But he can't do it alone, so he'll call on trusted friends and seedy contacts and with the help of a certain feisty commoner and a djinn with an ego that's larger then London he'll go head to head with forces bigger then any that they ever dared to dream of. **

"Because I don't think he's dead that's why." The young magician said pacing in his office. He was in parliament, in the Head of Internal Affairs office, and he was speaking to his two djinn servants, one in the guise of a beautiful young woman wearing a black dress sitting on his expensive couch, the other standing by the doorway in the guise of a muscular jackal headed man wearing Egyptian armor with his arms crossed over his chest.

"But Jason-" The young woman began before the magician interrupted her

"How many times do I have to tell you Morrigan? We are in perfect privacy and no one can hear us. Call me Arthur."

Morrigan smiled, she couldn't help it. She had been in service to many masters through out her long, very long, life. Yet not one of them had entrusted her with their birth name. Until Arthur however, he had said that it was a minor thing giving it to someone he trusted. That was what she loved about him, he trusted her. That and unlike most magicians he had a very well muscled body, barely any fat at all, and with his strong magical resistance he was more then able to take care of himself against all but afrit class djinn.

"Arthur, it's been four months. Even if he didn't die in that blast, the injuries that he would have suffered would have killed him soon after. They didn't even find a trace of him."

"Correct!" Arthur shouted silencing her "Correct! It was more then them just not finding his body, they found nothing. No hair, no skin, not even a drop of his blood, there weren't even any ashes or dust to indicate that his body had been vaporized, it was almost as if he disappeared. This, according to the laws of physics is impossible. Therefore, that leaves two scenarios: either he was taken, body and spirit, to the other place. Or he was moved, whether under his own power or not I cannot say until we find him."

Arthur saw Morrigan exchange glances with Anubis, the afrit standing by the door, and knew that a silent conversation was going on between the too.

"Arthur." Anubis spoke in his deep solemn voice "Why is it so important to you that we find John Mandrake? You two were not exactly close, at least not that I saw in the seven years that I have served you, and your determination goes beyond appreciation for his saving us from the hybrid attack."

Arthur's face took on a cool and impassive look. Anubis and Morrigan new that look, it was the look their master used when trying to hide any revealing information.

"Listen to me. I have never kept secrets from either one of you; I have always been honest and have never once punished either of you. So please I ask you both just this once….Let me keep this secret for my self. At least until I feel it is the right time to share it." he said calmly.

Had anyone else been listening, all they would have heard nothing but a cold and direct, possibly even threatening voice. Anubis and Morrigan had been in the Arthur's service for years however, and more to it then that they cared about him, they could hear the smallest of pleading in his voice. Anubis merely sighed and shook his head; Morrigan however rose from the couch and embraced the young magician.

"Very well my heavy shouldered master. We shall do as you have commanded and allow you to bear this cross yourself…..For now. However when you are ready to talk, I will be here and I will be ready to listen." She said in the smallest and gentlest of voice.

Arthur returned her hug, thanking her without actually saying it, and leaned against her appreciating, needing even, her stability to hold him up. They remained that way for a long moment before Anubis cleared his throat, reminding the two that they were in a crowded government building, and they broke apart both looking slightly embarrassed. Arthur ran a hand through his shoulder length deep blood red hair, the same color as his suit, and sighed.

"Listen I need to be alone for some time. So you two are dismissed." he said embarrassedly, the way he always acted when he gave these types of orders.

Morrigan wanted to stay, she almost told him no, but Anubis placed a hand on her shoulder and bowed low saying "Yes of course master. Call if you need us." and teleported them both away.

Arthur sighed and collapsed in the chair behind his desk. He thought back to that night, the night of the demon attack.

He hadn't been taken captive for the simple reason that he hadn't liked Makepeace productions, few actually had, and so he had not attended. He was able to excuse himself by saying that he had important work to do, and who would question the Jason Todd the youngest Head of Internal Affairs since John Mandrake himself? When the demon-hybrids began their attack, he had summoned Morrigan and Anubis, his two most faithful servants, and with their help, he was able to barricade himself in his office until all had left the building. After that the three had left and returned to his home and after arming himself with a silver sword and throwing daggers, both of which he was very proficient with, and a pair of his favorite seven league boots they had begun an extermination of the hybrids. Most of them were weaklings, at least compared to Anubis, and the ones that were not they were able to avoid.

To Morrigan and Anubis it was nothing, a little disturbing that spirits would do something so perverse but still just another battle; to Arthur it was a nightmare. He had been in magical duels before, you didn't get in his position at such a young age without having made enemies, and he had been in fistfights before as well. But he had never once fought a person who he knew personally, some had even been his friends. To him it was a battle without end. That was until he witnessed the explosion at the glass pyramid. Thinking that the demons had been up to something else he had dashed off immediately, thinking that perhaps he was running to his death, only to arrive just in time to witness the collapse of the great glass pyramid. He didn't find out until later on that morning that John Mandrake had been in there. After hearing it, he had personally gone into the wreckage in attempt to find him, save him at best bury him at worst, only to find a commoner girl was already there doing the same thing. When he asked her why she was looking, she had informed him, that John had been a friend of hers and she would not leave without him. When he asked her for her name, she had simply spat out Kitty Jones before she went back to digging and searching. The two had searched all day, never once stopping not even for food or a rest, until Kitty collapsed from exhaustion and he brought her to a hospital so that she might rest and have the cuts on her arms and legs tended too. After two weeks the search had been called off, and everyone had accepted that John Mandrake was dead, everyone except for Arthur.

Rising out from behind his desk Arthur looked out his window in the direction of the wreckage, which had partially cleared away, and pulled out his pocket watch. Opening it he looked at the picture inside of two small boys, one perhaps six and the other four, both smiling up at him hugging each other.

"Don't worry Nat. I don't care if everyone else has given up; I won't ever stop looking….big brother."

**Not bad huh? Now I realize that it was long and I'm sure anti-climactic, but this was the note I wanted to end it on and I wanted to firmly explain why such a strong magician hadn't been possessed and establish early on that he isn't like most magicians. I'm looking forward to your reviews; I know that they'll give me the help I need to make this story a good one. Also if I messed up with how it's supposed to be posted. please tell me I've never posted a story on here before and I want to do it right.**


	2. The Hunt Begins

**If you see a character in here that was in one of Jonathan Stroud's books then I don't own it. Now let's try and get into the thick of the plot shall we?**

Arthur was still starring at the picture in his pocket watch when his assistant Jennifer knocked on his door.

"Mr. Todd we have an awful lot of paperwork here that we need to go over, and there are several matters that need your immediate attention. May I come in?"

Closing the watch, he told her to enter. She was a small mousy haired girl with small glasses who was barely older then Arthur with a preference for dressing in shades of green.

"What's first on today's list Miss Blake?" Arthur asked turning around.

She laid a stack of papers on his desk that he would have to read threw and sign later.

"Well first there have been some reports of gang activity in the slums, that Bursar had discovered." she reported automatically

"Marvelous…"Arthur sighed, taking and examining the file "They haven't been in operation too long, meaning we still have time to rout them now before they get a firm foothold. That's something to be grateful for I suppose. Hand this over to the Night police; tell that fop Claude that I want it taken care of now and no arguments." He said putting the file down.

"Yes sir. Also the P.M. called and he wants you to judge on the new issue, teaching magic in schools."

"That's not an Internal Affairs matter, that's something for the council and the Prime Minister to work out for themselves. Why ask for my input?" Arthur asked

"It's a serious issue sir and you're the only magician of your skill ranking still alive. They respect you; both commoner and magician alike, and they understand your wisdom and expertise in these matters."

Arthur smiled to himself "Tell the P.M. that I'll meet with him as soon as possible to discuss the matter thoroughly."

"Yes sir." Jennifer said writing a date in her appointment book "Also there was a disappearance two days ago, possibly a kidnapping, a ten year old boy." She said offering him the file

Looking confused Arthur accepted the file but did not begin to read it.

"Why do we have this? This is a matter for the Night Police; we don't deal with kidnappings unless they involve government officials."

"I'm aware of that sir, but this case doesn't appear to be the usual breaking and entering."

Still not understanding Arthur began to read. There were no signs of a struggle and no signs of a break in. All the doors and windows had been locked, and the boy's mother who had been asleep in the next room had not heard a sound. There was no note and no ransom demand.

"You right, it is unusual and I would be more then willing to bet magic was involved. This doesn't explain however why we have it. The Night Police are still fully capable of handling this case, more then a few of them are magicians." Arthur said

"Ordinarily we wouldn't have it Mister Todd. The boy's mother came here however; she wanted it to be given special attention." Jennifer said

Arthur starred confusedly again, "She wants Internal Affairs to handle this?" he asked not understanding.

Internal Affairs had handled kidnappings before, but those had been for members of Parliament, and usually there were ransom demands, they had never before worked a case such as this one, and Arthur doubted any of his people were capable of handling it. He was made even more confused when Jennifer shook her head

"No sir, she wants you to handle it personally." she informed him

Looking back at the file Arthur searched until he found what he was looking for, the name of the victim, Alec Quimby and his mother Cheryl Quimby.

"Quimby…" he whispered aloud. There was something familiar about the name, but he could not place it. "Where is Ms. Quimby now?" he asked not looking up.

"That's something I wanted to inform you of sir. She's here right now, waiting in the lobby." she said quietly

Arthur snapped his head, starring at his assistant with blatant shock.

"Miss Blake what were you thinking? Why didn't you tell me that she was here sooner?" he said in a loud voice.

Jennifer fidgeted a bit, but otherwise stood her ground holding up against his unforgiving stare. "I didn't inform you, because I knew that you would want to spend the rest of the day speaking with her, and I wanted to make sure that you were free enough to do it….Sir" she said her voice never once faltering.

Arthur calmed himself and shook his head amusedly. He was impressed, as he always was, with how efficiently his assistant handled business. When he had first taken her on, she had been a scared timid thing, who barely had the wits to get him a cup of coffee. Now she was so efficient and organized, that he sometimes wondered how he became Head of Internal Affairs without her.

"Shall I escort her in sir?"

"Yes, very good Miss Blake and please be gentle, she's been threw a very difficult ordeal." he said

"Of coarse sir." she replied and turned away. She had opened the door and was about to exit when Arthur called back to her

"Oh, and one more thing, thank you Jenny."

He didn't need to see her face to know that she was scowling. She had never grown accustomed to the familiar way her employer had insisted on acting, but neither could she deny that she enjoyed working for him. Arthur watched as she left without saying a word, just as he knew she would. Picking up the boy's file again, he attempted to familiarize himself with the case. As far as he was able to understand, no human had taken the boy, no human was that good, and if it had been a summoned spirit then it was lower then Afrit class as no traces of essence had been at the scene. Not unheard of for spirits of the djinn class and lower. What was disturbing to Arthur was if a djinn had taken the boy that would mean a magician had summoned it, and if that were the case then what would a magician want with Alec Quimby. Furthermore there was the name itself

"Quimby…." he whispered, "Where have I heard that name before?"

Before he could ponder more, he heard a knock on his door, and Jennifer and a woman he assumed was Cheryl Quimby entered his office. She was clearly exhausted, as though she had not slept for days, and she had large bags under red eyes, though he doubted her eyes were red only from not sleeping. He rose from his seat and walked around his desk to meet her.

"Ms. Quimby I assume." He said

"Yes that's me." she said in a small voice.

"Please, please sit down, you look as though your about to faint." He said trying to be friendly, leading her towards his couch "Can my assistant get you anything? Tea, coffee, perhaps some water?"

"A cup of tea would be nice." she said sitting

"Jennifer would you please." he asked

"Right away Mr. Todd." she said faithfully leaving to go on her errand.

Arthur grabbed a chair and placed it close to Ms. Quimby to keep up the sense of friendliness that he knew she needed.

"Now Ms. Quimby, let me start by saying that I'm sorry that you have to go through this. I know it must be painful for you." he said earnestly.

"Thank you." she said appreciatively

"Now I must ask, why is it you wish for me to handle your son's case? The Night Police are-"

"No!" she said immediately interrupting him "I know the Police are probably better equipped, but I want YOU to personally search for my son."

"I understand that, but why me personally? It's not often that someone asks for the head of Internal Affairs to handle a kidnapping." he asked, keeping his voice low and calm

Jennifer returned at that moment with a hot cup of tea, which she offered to Ms. Quimby who gratefully accepted. She held it in both hands and starred at the floor, taking small sips occasionally.

"You don't remember me do you?" she asked still starring only at the floor "When the demons attacked four months ago, my son and I were trapped inside of a burning building, with that **thing **hybrid, demon, call it whatever you want, and it said that it was going to eat us. I was certain that we were going to die, because even if it didn't kill us we couldn't get out by ourselves. I had all but given up when….when it seemed like God himself had intervened. You arrived and killed that monster, and then you helped us get out." she said, tears leaking out of her eyes as she looked at him with something close to thanks and adoration.

Arthur remembered her now, and he remembered her son. After rescuing them he had taken them to safety, safe from both hybrids, the then Night Police, and from other commoners who might try to take advantage over them. He had asked for their names, though he couldn't remember why, and they had told him.

"Of course, how could I have forgotten? Still Ms. Quimby, happy though I am to try to find your son, I still don't understand why you would ask for me personally."

"When the police came that night, after they were done asking questions, I overheard one of them say 'It looks like another one'. I knew what that meant. Other people have gone missing and they can't do a dam thing about it. They won't be able to find my son, if they even try. They couldn't even find a trace of him!" she shouted almost crying

Those words reverberated within Arthur's head.

'They couldn't even find a trace of him. Just like…' he thought to himself

Arthur knew in that moment that he would look.

"I promise Ms. Quimby that I will find him, however I can. Now please return home and get some rest, my assistant can drive you if you'd like, and I will call you when I find him." he said to her trying to keep the excitement out of his voice

Rising up from the couch, she walked over to Arthur and hugged him teary eyed.

"Thank you Mr. Todd, thank you so very much." she said. Jennifer took her gently by her arms and guided her away

When they had left, Arthur stood grinning.

"At last," he said to himself "At last a link to go on."

It was a slim connection, possibly not even one at all, but after months of kicking up nothing, he had something that might lead him to his brother. Someone had taken Alec Quimby in the same manner that Nathaniel had disappeared in, and that was good enough for Arthur.

"So, at last I have a sent of my prey. Let the hunt begin."

**Will Arthur find his brother? Is there a connection between Nathaniel's disappearance and Alec Quimby's kidnapping? And when will we see Bartimeaus and Kitty again? Some of these questions will be answered on our next exciting episode. So stay tuned**


	3. The Oddest of Friends

**Sorry for the long hiatus. I am sorry, but I'm back and I'm determined to finish this, if not now then soon.**

Sitting in the head office of the Night Police in parliament, was Claude Nickelby. With his, brightly colored silk suits, his white-blonde hair, and his feet kicked up on his purple desk he looked like something out of a child's drawing. He was reading a book when one of his assistants knocked and entered his office

"Mr. Nickelby sir?" he asked nervously

"Yes?" he asked

"There is someone here to see you sir."

"Tell them I'm busy." He replied not looking up from his book

"You don't seem very busy Claude." a voice from the hallway said

Hearing the voice caused Claude to sit up straight, for it was the voice of the only person he truly cared for.

"Why hello Jason Todd, you daring rogue." he said barely controlling the volume of his voice. Walking into the office Jason sighed and Claude giggled to himself. "How can I please you today?" he asked as Jason sat down in an empty chair

"You can start by not speaking to me like that." he answered curtly which made Claude grin. He knew that he was one of the few people who could make Jason uncomfortable, and it was something that he treasured. Most people that Jason talked to, he spoke too as though they were separated by a sheet of glass, but when Claude talked to him, he showed some color, and to Claude that was beautiful.

"Oh come now Jason, there is no need to be so mean, you know I say it out of affection." he said

"What I want Claude." Jason said curtly ignoring Claude "Is for you to tell me everything you know about the string of kidnappings that have been going on."

Claude frowned slightly, an expression that still retained the odd smile that he was known for.

"Why would you want to know that? It's nothing for you to get yourself involved in; it's a Night Police problem."

"I know that. But I've taken on a kidnapping case personally, and I think that they are all connected." Jason answered

Most magicians would not reveal such information to a potential rival, the consequences of such an error ranged from loss of credulity to even death, but Jason felt that he could trust Claude. It was not as though he would reveal his birth name to the foppish magician, but he knew that he could count on Claude as an ally. Jason had never understood why, but Claude had always been an ally to him. Claude giggled again

"Naughty, naughty Jason, you know that we aren't supposed to do that." Claude chided "Well I suppose I can help you out old friend, considering your wearing red. I think red is beautiful on you." He said as he rose from behind his desk and began walking to his filing cabinet and browsed through it carefully pulling out seven large files and handing them to Jason. Jason rose from his seat and accepted them gratefully from Claude

"Thank you Claude, I appreciate this. Now if you'll excuse me I need to go." He said hurriedly

"Oh really now Jason." Claude pouted "Surely you can stay for a little while longer."

Jason grit his teeth in annoyance, knowing that Claude was merely trying to bait him

"No Claude, I have to go. Now if you'll excuse me." He said hurrying out of Claude Nickelby's office, not stopping until he was well away from the Night Police and in his own office.

Arthur had met many magicians in his long career, but none of them had ever come close to Claude. He was by far the most eccentric man that Arthur had ever met. He waltzed around wearing brightly colored silk suits of the most outrageous colors, and never had anything less then four large jeweled rings on both hands with earrings that matched. He carried a cane made of solid ivory with a sculpted full body cherub for a grip. The only thing worse was his manner of speaking. He acted as though he could not be offended and the unabashed way he said things made others uncomfortable. More to the point whereas others in Parliament guarded their words and never revealed the truth Claude bluntly stated what he happened to be thinking, not giving a dam who heard what he said. Arthur had never understood why he had always acted so strangely to him, but he knew that Claude made him uncomfortable.

'But enough of that now.' He thought to himself 'I have larger things to think about.

Sitting down at his desk he began to browse through the files closely searching for everything similar, both in the victims and in the method, before coming to a single conclusion. Standing from his chair and walking to the pentacle in the corner of his office, once there he began a summons. It did not take long before he completed the spell and a series of midnight black feathers began to rain inside of the pentacle, at the center of which they began to form shape slowly condensing into that of a beautiful woman in a black dress made from black feathers.

"Beautiful and breathtaking as always Morrigan." he commented

"Thank you my master." she said "Why have you summoned me?"

His face took on an odd look, one that was both serious and joyous. It made Morrigan uneasy.

"Find Kitty Jones for me." he commanded simply

**What has Arthur uncovered? What is the connection between Alec Quimby and the others? And what can Kitty do to help? All this and more will be answered on the next exciting episode.**


	4. New Friends

The forest landscape that passed by looked beautiful bathed in the light of the setting sun. To Kitty, gazing at it threw her train window; it looked like some kind of renaissance painting. She was enjoying her extended holiday, sitting in a first class train car, on her way through France.

'It's taken longer than I thought, but I'm finally going on my holiday.' She thought to herself.

She had intended to leave months ago, planning on first going to visit her friend Jacob then go from there to Egypt. She had remained in London, however, at the request of her new friend, Jason Todd. Kitty remembered the day she had met Jason the day when Nathaniel died. She remembered that awful day, she remembered fainting, and she remembered strong arms carrying her, and the next thing she remembered she was waking up in a very nice private hospital room, with a young red haired man in a fine suit sleeping in the chair next to her bed. At first she felt alarmed, a strange man was sitting barely two feet away from her, but as she studied his face, she had begun to remember him as the young man who had helped her futile search for Nathaniel, though what he might be doing here now she did not know. Rising from the bed silently, so as not to wake him, she began to explore the room. It was large, for a hospital room, with blue stripes on white walls and a blue and white linoleum floor. Though it made her feel calm it also gave her chills. Turning around she saw that the magician was awake and starring at her

"I'm glad to see that your awake." he said smiling

"Who are you?" she asked

"Jason Todd, Ms. at your service." he said inclining his head towards her "I am a magician in parliament."

Instinctively Kitty tensed up, she was never comfortable when magicians were around, until she realized that if he had wanted to hurt her he wouldn't have brought her to the hospital.

"I'm Kitty Jones, nice to meet you as well." She said "What are you doing here?"

"Well you said that you are a friend of John Mandrake's and since any friend of his is a friend of mine, I wanted to make sure you were alright." He told her smiling

Kitty found it hard to believe that he was a friend of Nathaniel's, magicians didn't have friends. The look must have been on her face as Jason laughed and shook his head.

"I know it's hard to believe but I am indeed John's friend." He said

"Forgive me for not taking your word for it." She said cautiously to which he laughed, not spiteful or mean spirited but a warm chuckle that relieved her or her unease

"I don't at all. I wouldn't blame you if you didn't trust any magician, truth be told I don't either." He said to which she smiled "Please believe me Kitty, I am John's friend, and since you're a friends of his as well, then I am yours too."

For a reason that she didn't understand she believed him. Kitty had excellent judgment of people and she knew when they lied, and he wasn't lying. There was only one thing that bothered her, something that he had said.

"Don't you mean that you **were** a friend of John Mandrake's?" she asked

He looked at her confused as though not understanding her meaning

"Why would I mean that? It's not like he's dead."

Over the weeks that followed the hope that Kitty had been given from that statement faded into acceptance. Nathaniel and Bartimaeus where gone and Jason was deluding himself over the whole thing. He had still become a good friend to her and he even paid for her trip. Sitting here now on this train she felt that she missed him. That was until she noticed the figure of a beautiful woman in a black dress made of feathers sitting next to her

"Hello Kitty." Morrigan whispered


	5. Arty and Barty

When I felt the familiar pull on my essence, for a minute I thought 'He's Alive!' then I realized that the voice that was performing the summons did not sound like Natty boy, it didn't sound like Kitty either**1**. Isn't that just typical? I go through the trouble of sharing a skull with Nathaniel**2** to save those ingrates from Nouda, Faquarl and the others and this is the thanks I get? Another hack magician summons me after I've barely had a chance to catch my breath, let alone get over the ache of the overlong enslavement that John Mandrake had put me threw**3**. Gathering my essence together I headed towards the call and found myself in a pentacle in an office in London, it had to be London nowhere else is as congested. Pulling myself together I took the form of a scrawny brown haired boy with a rabid look on his face**4 **wearing a blue kiddy suite. Looking at the pentacle across from me I found who I was looking for, the magician. He was built a little better than most magicians, not fat but not exactly the build of a guy who'd go charging the fields wearing a suite of armor and with long hair the same color as blood that matched his suite perfectly, his face was thin and familiar and his eyes, they were a robust brown color that looked like they belonged in the sockets of a hungry puppy. He stood staring at me smiling, a look of pure triumph plain on his face. Deciding to steal some of that bluster I intoned in a voice that was far too deep to come out of this body

"Who has dared to summon me?"

He let go of the smile but I could still feel the satisfaction practically ooze off of him

"I am Jason Todd, a magician of London and the Head of Internal Affairs." He answered

Jason Todd, I knew that name and the reputation it carried, he had been an ally of sorts for Nathaniel when he had been alive**5** and from what I had seen and heard he had skill, though how much I could not say. Deciding that the best thing to do would be to do what this kid asked quickly so that I could return to the Other Place, the ache was already building back up again, I spoke and said

"What is it you desire of me?"

He starred at me for a long time, searching my face as though looking for something before he spoke

"I want you to help me find John Mandrake." He said

What?! I was stunned, completely stunned, so stunned that I lost control of my form.

"Are you alright?" he asked

"What?" I said reconstructing my form. I must have heard him wrong, the pain made me hallucinate.

"I asked if you were alright. You don't seem to be well." He said with what might have been concern in his voice**6**

"Oh I'm just peachy! I love getting pulled out of my home kicking and screaming when I'm, exhausted and have barely had time to get over the pain of being in this mud ball you call a home!" I answered to the too pretty magician more curtly then I would normally have**7 **and I expected at any moment for the magician to put my essence on the rack. To my surprise however he never did, instead he only stared at me with those puppy eyes that looked…remorseful.

"I'm sorry for having to do this to you, but I have no choice." He said, and odd as it might sound I believe he meant it, either that or he was a dam good liar, but somehow I doubted that was the case. "I think I might know someone who can help with this situation; one moment if you please."

He began casting again, speaking rather rushed, as though he had no fear that whatever he was summoning would kill him if he made a mistake. When he finally complied, the empty pentacle adjacent to mine was now occupied, and by someone who I was shocked beyond reason to see.

"Long time no see Anubis." I said to the powerful Afrit, who stood in the pentacle in his traditional black jackal headed guise.

"Bartimaeus." He acknowledged curtly

"You two know each other."**8** the boy magician said as he smiled

"Yes my master." Anubis answered stoically, still the same model of efficiency he was since last I'd seen him in Egypt, back during the reign of the Pharos.

"Good, then this should be easy." Jason said "Anubis, as I'm sure you can tell from looking at him, Bartimaeus is weak from an over prolonged stay here. Do you know of a way to help him?"

"Of course I do. It is a rather easy thing, he merely needs his essences to be stimulated in the areas that are in pain and restored in the ones that have faded by an appropriate power source."

"If you can, I want you to help him." Jason said to the towering afrit

Anubis stared at the boy as though he was considering not doing it**9 **before he raised his hand pointed at me and fired a green blast. I couldn't believe the amazing feeling! My essences were soothed and healed; my core was charged and revitalized the pain ebbing away. It was the equivalent of receiving water after you've been dying of thirst. When it was all over the pain was little more than a dull ache and I felt like I'd been in the Other Place for over ten years! As one part of me enjoyed and reveled at the relief of the pain another part looked at Anubis I saw that he seemed out of breath as though restoring me had drained him quite a bit. The magician noticed that too.

"Well done Anubis, as always you perform a task to perfection. You are dismissed." He said simply, smiling at the jackal headed warrior. Anubis bowed low in thanks and disappeared in a gulf of black flame.

"Well, I guess that means I'm dismissed as well right?" I asked hopefully. Not that I wasn't grateful but I didn't want to deal with this obviously crazy magician and get out while he was in an apparently generous mood.

As if it could be that easy?

He smiled and shook his head in denial before speaking.

"I'm sorry but I cannot let you go back just yet. As I said before, I need your help."

"Yes, yes I heard, you need my help finding John Mandrake. Well I've got bad news for you, he's dead." I said in the most respectful manner that I could. A look of annoyance passed over Jason's face, and for a second he reminded me of somebody I knew, before it vanished and he looked at me seriously.

"So quick to assume, but let's say you're wrong, what if he's not dead. What if he was alive and being held prisoner somewhere? What would that mean to you?" he asked

The question had me stumped. Nathaniel not only alive, but a prisoner, possibly even a slave like I had been. What would that mean to me? On the one hand he was a magician, like any other, who had kept me as a slave for years and had even kept me stuck on this world for so long that I turned into a puddle. On the other, he was more than that, at least on some level, we had experienced things that no other magician and djinn ever had, and he had been willing to give his life for me.

Before I could answer him I heard a horrible racket coming from the other side of the door before it bust open and in walked the last person I expected to see. And just like always she was running her mouth.

"This had better be good Jason! I finally start my holiday and you…..Bartimaeus?"

"Hello Kitty."

1. Not that I wanted to see her or anything, it was only that of all the people who could have summoned me I'd rather it be her.

2. Not a pleasant experience, it was like being trapped in a room with a talkative gerbil.

3. No you read right, I don't think of Nathaniel and John Mandrake as being the same person.

4. It was strange; it was the same look that Ptolemy had when he started talking about us but it also reminded me of that twerp Nathaniel.

5. It was downright weird; the kid followed Nathaniel around like he was a loyal dog or something. At first I thought he was just acting cunning waiting for his time to strike when Nathaniel was weak, then when I saw that wasn't the case I just thought it was creepy.

6. But of course it could not have been. After all there's only ever been one magician who ever cared enough about me to be concerned.

7. Normally I would have responded in such a way that he would have been unable to know just exactly HOW I'd insulted him. But as I said, the ache in my essence was wearing me thin.

8. The first time I had met Anubis he had been worshipped like a god by the Egyptians, and I thought he had all the intelligence and personality of driftwood, not that I'd ever say that to his face as the last time I'd seen him he was saving me from Jabor and treating that powerful imbecile like he was an annoyance. That day he earned both my gratitude, my respect, and he became number three on my list of people that I never wanted to see again.

9. It made me wonder just how tight his leash was that he would even consider refusing an order. Very few of us were powerful or foolish enough to do that and Anubis had a reputation of excellent service.


End file.
